The UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced the government’s intention to hold a snap general election on 8 June 2017, to which the opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the decision.
This announcement demonstrates the high level of confidence the Prime Minister has in her government’s standing and, arguably, its lack of strong opposition. Indeed, it is understandable why she would seek to hold a general election now, as polls currently show the Conservative Party holding a significant lead over Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party. We note that she could have waited until next year’s boundary reforms were implemented before holding an election, as these are expected to strengthen the Conservative Party’s position further.
